Intelligent integration of mmWave technology in a heterogeneous wireless communication system

摘要

A system and method are provided for intelligently incorporating a mmWave communication link in a heterogeneous cellular/Wi-Fi networking environment. The combination improves overall data transmission capacity of the heterogeneous networking environment, and also provides superior user Quality of Experience. The combination of the mmWave communication link with the cellular/Wi-Fi communication system is integrated in a synergistic manner that allows each of the individual communication technologies to complement the other. Using highly-directional beamforming antennas the mmWave communication link provides wide area network coverage by deploying a plurality of directional beams in sectors to complement the coverage area of the wide area network systems operating in other frequency bands.

主权项

1. A method for integrating different communication techniques in a wireless network environment, comprising:
receiving a response from a client device regarding its communication capabilities in the wireless network environment, wherein the communication capabilities obtained from the client device comprise which wireless communication links the client device is capable of communicating with; determining based on the response provided by the client device whether the client device is capable of conducting communications across a mmWave communication link; obtaining a data transmission request from the client device; determining, with a processor, which one of a low data rate wireless communication link and a high data rate wireless communication link is used to transmit data requested by the data transmission request based on the response regarding communicating capabilities of the client device and a content of the data requested by the data transmission request; wherein the content of the data requested by the data transmission request is a data download that would benefit from high data rate transmission to the client device; obtaining information from the client device regarding whether the client device is being operated in a fixed or mobile mode; in response to the client device being operated in a mobile mode, then monitor sector position of the mobile device using a low data rate wireless communication link; and transmitting the data requested by data transmission request to the client device via the determined one of the low data rate wireless communication link and the high data rate wireless communication link; selecting, by the processor, one of a plurality of fixed directional beam patterns for transmitting the data requested by data transmission request to the client device via the mmWave communication link based on the obtained position of the client device; wherein return transmissions from the client device are received via at least one of a cellular or a Wi-Fi communication link; using the at least one of the cellular or the Wi-Fi communication link to update the position of the client device when the information indicates that the client device is operating in the mobile mode of operation; determining, with the processor, an optimal point for handoff of mmWave communications between the one of the plurality of fixed directional beam patterns and an other of the plurality of fixed directional beam patterns based on the updated position of the client device; storing data content in a segregated manner in at least one data storage device, wherein the data content is segregated according to whether the data content is transmitted by the low data rate wireless communication link or the high data rate wireless communication link.